Last Sunday I returned from the two-day Passive House North conference, where the theme was Affordable Energy Efficiency for Cold Climates.
As the first such gathering of Passive House pioneers, engineers, architects & designers, builders, suppliers and interested folks to be held in North America, it delivered a wealth of information about this exciting way of building. A few of the main takeaways…
– Building homes to the PH standard reduces heating energy needs by 90% or more over standard construction
– This low heat requirement means that conventional heating systems are not needed, saving tens of thousands of dollars
– Due to increased insulation, airtightness and specialized windows and equipment, PH homes still cost on average 5-10% more than standard homes
– However, the money saved on heating costs in most cases exceeds the increase in mortgage payments, resulting in a net $$ benefit
– As energy costs rise (as they will inevitably do) the ROI just keeps getting better and better
Passive houses are quiet, comfortable and have great indoor air quality
– Most styles of architecture – from classic craftsman to cutting edge modern – will work with the PH standard
– Achieving the Passive House standard is easier in a milder climate such as on Vancouver Island. Gower Design Group has the capability to create homes that can achieve the standard.
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